Youth Activism and Contentious Politics in Egypt

Dynamics of Continuity and Change

During the Arab uprisings of late 2010 and early 2011, nine regimes throughout North Africa and the Middle East were confronted by major demonstrations and contentious events. When the uprisings began in Egypt, it became evident that youth movements were going to play a large part in the uprisings themselves, as well as the ensuing political and social changes. In this book, Nadine Sika demonstrates how youth movements initiated contestation, and how the regime in Egypt reacted through a display of authoritarian resilience, creating opportunities, threats to and constraints on the ability of youth movements to mobilize and to network. On the other hand, she explores how youth movement's repertoires can cause a regime to adapt, upgrade, or downgrade its authoritarian tools in an attempt to control, co-opt, or disempower the movement, highlighting how a regime's perception of a threat can propel it towards either defensive or offensive strategies.